How much do Surveyors make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

Percentile spread

For Surveyors, the published 10th percentile is $61,000 and the 90th percentile is $131,000. The difference is $70,000, which is 88.8% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $71,750 to the 75th at $98,280, covers $26,530.

The mean annual wage is $90,670, which sits above the median of $78,860. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA median is 4.5% higher than the national median of $75,440 for Surveyors. In 2024 national prices the local median is $85,997, which is 14% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 2.3% higher than the Iowa median of $77,090.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is 91.701, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $78,860 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Surveyors at $85,997 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

5 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Surveyors. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ranks 2nd of 6 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Cedar Rapids, IA is 115 miles away, with a median of $76,190 and employment of 40. That median is 3.4% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $85,642, against $85,997 here.
• Omaha, NE-IA is 118 miles away, with a median of $64,360 and employment of 160. That median is 18.4% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $70,024, against $85,997 here.
• Lincoln, NE is 170 miles away, with a median of $70,010 and employment of 70. That median is 11.2% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $76,446, against $85,997 here.

Employment share

Surveyors accounts for 0.04% of wage-and-salary employment in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (150 of 404,130). Nationally the occupation is 0.03% of employment (50,830 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.14 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.